Arkansas Identification Card Requirements and Fees: REAL ID and Renewals

An Arkansas state ID card costs $5.00 and is available to any Arkansas resident age five or older who doesn’t hold a valid driver’s license from any state. You apply in person at an Arkansas Revenue Office, bring documents proving your identity and Social Security number, and leave with a temporary paper ID while the permanent card is mailed to you within about three to five business days.¹²

What to Bring

Gather everything before you go. A missing document means a wasted trip.

Proof of Identity and Legal Presence

Bring one original or certified document. For U.S. citizens, that typically means a certified U.S. birth certificate, a U.S. passport or passport card, a Certificate of Naturalization (N-550 or N-570), a Certificate of Citizenship (N-560 or N-561), or a Certificate of Birth Abroad (FS-240 or FS-545). Non-citizens can use a valid Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551), a foreign passport paired with a valid U.S. visa and I-94, a valid Employment Authorization Document (I-766), or another qualifying DHS immigration document.³

Proof of Social Security Number

Bring one original document showing your full Social Security number. The easiest option is the card itself. If you can’t locate it, a W-2, a 1099, or a recent pay stub showing your full number along with your employer’s name and address will work. Veterans can use a DD-214.³

Proof of Arkansas Residency (REAL ID Only)

If you want a REAL ID-compliant card, add two documents showing your current physical address, dated within the last six months unless otherwise noted:

Utility bill (gas, water, or electric)
Current lease, rental agreement, or mortgage statement
Bank statement
Telephone, cable, or internet bill
Current health, auto, or homeowners insurance document
State or federal tax return less than one year old
Voter registration card less than four years old

A shelter agreement counts if you’re experiencing homelessness. A letter on formal letterhead from a bank manager, doctor, accountant, attorney, or employer confirming they’ve known you at least three years and verifying your residential address also qualifies.³

REAL ID or Standard: Which Version to Request

Both versions cost $5.00. The practical difference is federal acceptance. Since May 7, 2025, federal agencies including TSA require a REAL ID-compliant card or another federally accepted document such as a U.S. passport to board domestic commercial flights and to enter certain federal buildings.⁴ Without one, you can be turned away at the airport security checkpoint.

A REAL ID card carries a gold star in the upper corner. A standard card is marked “NOT FOR FEDERAL ID.” If you ever fly domestically and don’t carry a passport, request the REAL ID version. The only added work is bringing two residency documents on top of the identity and Social Security documents everyone needs.⁵

Where and How to Apply

You must appear in person at an Arkansas Revenue Office. The state operates 134 offices, and all of them handle ID card services.⁶ Walk-ins are accepted everywhere. You can also book an appointment at mydmv.arkansas.gov to skip the wait.⁷

Staff will verify your documents, take your photograph, and have you complete the application. You pay the $5.00 fee before leaving. You’ll walk out with a temporary paper document the same day, and the permanent card arrives in the mail within three to five business days.²

If a child age 5 to 13 is getting the card, a parent, legal guardian, grandparent, or sibling over 18 must come along and sign the application.¹

How Long the Card Lasts

Validity depends on your age at issue:

Ages 5 to 13: valid for two years.
Ages 14 to 59: valid for four years from the date of issue.
Age 60 and older: valid for life. The REAL ID version is an exception; federal rules require an expiration date, so a REAL ID card issued at any age will not be lifetime.¹

Renewing or Replacing Your Card

Renewal happens in person at any Revenue Office. Bring your expiring card and pay the $5.00 fee. If you want to upgrade from a standard card to REAL ID at renewal, bring the two residency documents as well.¹

If your card is lost, stolen, or damaged, you can order a duplicate online at mydmv.arkansas.gov without visiting an office. The replacement is mailed within three to five business days.²

Updating Your Name

A name change from marriage, divorce, or a court order has to be updated in person. Bring the original or certified copy of the document that authorized the change: a marriage certificate, a certified divorce decree showing the name restoration, or a court order granting the name change.⁸ Update your Social Security card first; the name on your ID must match your Social Security records.

Changing Your Gender Marker

Arkansas allows you to change the gender designation on your ID, but only with an amended birth certificate. You submit a form provided by the Office of Driver Services along with an original or certified copy of an amended birth certificate issued by the Arkansas Department of Health or another state’s vital records office.⁹ The card displays gender as “M” or “F” only; Arkansas does not issue cards with an “X” designation or without a gender marker.

Veterans and Deployed Military

Veterans can add a veteran designation to the card by presenting a military discharge document showing honorable or general-under-honorable-conditions service. The DD Form 214 is the most common; NGB Form 22, a VA-issued Veteran Identification Card, and several other DoD discharge forms also qualify.¹⁰

Active-duty military stationed outside Arkansas can request an extension through the Office of Driver Services. Your card then remains valid until 60 days after you separate or are honorably discharged from active duty. This applies across all branches, including National Guard and reserve components. Call the Office of Driver Services at (501) 682-7059 for details.¹¹

If You Only Need ID to Vote

If you need photo ID strictly for voting and can’t obtain a state ID, Arkansas offers a free voter verification card through your county clerk’s office. You complete an affidavit stating you don’t possess qualifying photo ID and provide documents showing your full legal name, date of birth, and residential address.¹² That card is valid only for voting. It will not work for travel, banking, or anywhere else a state-issued ID is expected. For most people, the $5 state ID is the better long-term choice.

1
Justia. Arkansas Code 27-16-805 – Identification Purposes Only
2
Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Online Services
3
DFA.Arkansas.gov. Proof of Legal Presence for US Citizen Social Security Number
4
Transportation Security Administration. TSA Publishes Final Rule on REAL ID Enforcement Beginning May 7, 2025
5
Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Do You Have What You Need?
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Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Arkansas Real ID
7
Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Eliminate Waiting, Book a Revenue Office Appointment
8
Justia. Arkansas Code 27-16-506 – Notice of Change
9
Department of Finance and Administration – Office of Driver Services. Rules for Gender Information Required to Be Displayed on an Arkansas Driver’s License or State Identification Card
10
Justia. Arkansas Code 27-16-812 – Veteran Designation
11
Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Military and Veterans
12
Arkansas Secretary of State. Frequently Asked Questions